In line with the post-election peace initiative by the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, the Kula Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers has appealed to the Governorship Candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC in the 2019 General Election in Rivers State Biokpomabo Awara to withdraw his case at the Election Petition Tribunal challenging the re-election of the Governor.
It would be recall that Governor Wike polled 888,264 votes to defeat the AAC candidate who polled 137,859 votes in an election that was suspended for 3 weeks over allegation of widespread disruption of the electoral process.
The Chairman of the Kula Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH King (Dr) Kroma Amabibi Eleki, Sara XIV, Amanyanabo of Kula and the Secretary HRH King Bourdillon Allen Ekine, Oko XXVIII, Amanyanabo of Opukula (Old Shipping) during a courtesy visit on the AAC governorship candidate in Abuja said it was time to end divisive politics and fighting in Rivers State.
King Kroma Eleki appealed to the AAC candidate whom he referred to as their son to accept the Olive Branch offered by the Governor in the overall interest of peace and development of Rivers State.
He said their decision to seek out of court solution to the Rivers State governorship tussle was borne out of a genuine desire to reduce political tension in the state and insecurity occasioned by political activities.
King Eleki said “Let us work together with the present administration so that there will be peace, harmony and unity in our Rivers State. We cannot continue to struggle, we cannot continue to fight, we cannot continue to argue, that is why we are here to plead with you as your fathers that please let put a stop to what is going on and let us accept the Olive branch stretched out to us by the Executive Governor of Rivers State so that we can work together for the progress and development of our dear state”
For his part, the Secretary of the Kula Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers King Bourdillon Ekine said the council would also seek an audience with the Governor in order to consolidate on its reconciliation and peace move in the state.
According to King Bourdillon “Now that Kula has achieve peace, we want him to withdraw his case in court and let there be peace in Rivers State, as there is peace in Kula, peace should also be in Rivers State, that is our mission to Abuja. We want the Governorship candidate of the AAC Engr. Biokpomabo Awara to obey us who are his royal fathers by withdrawing his case from the court and work with the incumbent Governor Nyesom Wike to move Rivers State forward. The Governor is also our son, we are traditional rulers of all, we are the royal fathers of the whole state”
In his response, the AAC governorship Candidate Engr. Biokpomabo Awara assured the royal fathers that he would revert to them after consulting with the leadership of his party and other relevant stakeholders in the state on the appeal made to him to withdraw his case at the Tribunal.
Engr. Awara said “You have given me a task, I have to consult. I will revert back to you after meeting all relevant stakeholders that are involve in this and hopefully, the needed peace that you want, God being who he is, we will achieve that peace in our dear state”
Some Kula Chiefs who also spoke at the meeting commended Governor Nyesom Wike for showing sincerity in his peace initiative and for promising to involve the opposition in his government.
